Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, who flashed Colin Kaepernick the “choke” sign after this pass was intercepted in the 2013 NFC championship game, said he isn’t particulary surprised Kaepernick is no longer the 49ers’ starting quarterback. Paul Kitagaki Jr.The Bee

Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, who flashed Colin Kaepernick the “choke” sign after this pass was intercepted in the 2013 NFC championship game, said he isn’t particulary surprised Kaepernick is no longer the 49ers’ starting quarterback. Paul Kitagaki Jr.The Bee

SANTA CLARA

Richard Sherman said he isn’t particularly surprised Colin Kaepernick no longer is the 49ers starting quarterback. But the Seahawks cornerback – regarded by 49ers fans as the biggest villain in the teams’ rivalry – wasn’t slamming Kaepernick, to whom he once flashed the “choke” sign after a late-game interception.

Instead, he said the fact that Blaine Gabbert, not Kaepernick, will start in Seattle on Sunday simply is the way the NFL works sometimes.

“Football’s a crazy game,” Sherman said. “So, not really (surprised). It’s who’s playing well at the time. ... Who would have thought, when (the 49ers) were playing well and Alex Smith was out there, that a year later that Alex Smith would be gone from San Francisco and Colin Kaepernick would be their guy? I mean, things like that happen in football and you’ve just got to roll with the punches.”

Another odd occurrence: The 49ers and Seahawks are meeting in late November and neither team has a winning record. Both are looking up at the Cardinals, who at 7-2 are three games ahead of the Seahawks in the NFC West and four games ahead of the 49ers. Both Seattle and St. Louis are 4-5, but the Rams’ better division record puts them in second place.

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The Seahawks and their vaunted defense allowed 363 passing yards and three passing touchdowns in a home loss to the Cardinals last Sunday. Sherman, meanwhile, has no interceptions in 2015 after finishing with at least four in each of his previous four seasons.

“You treat it the same,” he said of an interception drought. “You go out there and try to execute your ball. The opportunities will come when they come. And when they come, you’ve just got to take advantage.”

As far as facing Gabbert instead of Kaepernick, Sherman had nothing controversial to say.

“He successfully ran the offense,” he said. “He got them down the field and made some great decisions, in terms of running and passing the football. Obviously, there were mistakes in there as well, but to come off the bench and beat the Falcons, it was a good performance.”

Hyde sits– Running back Carlos Hyde missed Wednesday’s practice, raising the possibility the 49ers’ top rusher will sit out his third consecutive game.

Earlier in the day, coach Jim Tomsula said he thought Hyde would go through a limited practice. Instead, he worked out on a side field while teammates went through the session. The only other 49ers player who didn’t practice was linebacker NaVorro Bowman, who typically does not take part in Wednesday’s session.

Hyde, the 49ers’ leading rusher, is dealing with a stress fracture on the side of his left foot and hasn’t played – or practiced in full – since Oct. 22. The team has signed free agents Shaun Draughn and Travaris Cadet in recent weeks and Draughn at least will be in uniform Sunday against the Seahawks.

Wide receiver Anquan Boldin (hamstring) was limited while cornerback Tramaine Brock (shin) was a full go. Both missed the team’s most recent game against Atlanta. So did cornerback Kenneth Acker, who is still progressing through the NFL’s concussion protocol but is expected to be cleared this week.